Between 2018 and 2022, 66 lives lost and 540 serious injuries on South Australian roads were the direct result of a vehicle being operated by someone who tested positive for drugs. Clearly, driving with Meth and Cannabis in your system is a key contributor to road trauma on South Australian roads.

Research shows there is a stark difference between reality and the misconceptions of a drug driver. We chose to break down the irrational thinking that there are no consequences - both legally and morally – to drug driving. Portraying a confronting yet realistic look at the effects and ramifications of drug users’ choices, we deliver a strong key message – that reality hits hard when you drive on drugs.

We wanted drug drivers to see themselves directly in the communication. By doing this we pre-loaded a sense of paranoia before they got behind the wheel - ‘self-identification’ that leads to engagement, cutting through a natural cynicism. The consequences are confronting and paramount to the communication. They are the hard hit of reality.

Since being in the market, the campaign has enjoyed high levels of awareness – the highest for a drug driving campaign to date. The messaging is clear and more defined than prior campaigns, and while the communication is centred around safety, we also see the appeal to health as well.